Readers write (June 14): Trade agreement, St. Croix bridge, Lake Calhoun, budget disagreement

The June 12 editorial "Pass languishing free trade pacts" neglected to address the nefarious underbellies of the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea and Panama.

If passed, these deals will prove disastrous for the working class and the environment both at home and abroad.

Consider Colombia: a nation embroiled in a decades-long civil war. In 2010 alone, 51 unionized Colombian workers were murdered.

The impunity rate for these murders is an astounding 96 percent. Passing a trade deal with Colombia would be tacit approval of these human-rights violations.

The agreement will also prove disastrous for Colombia's small farmers. If the deal is passed, subsidized U.S. grain will flood the Colombian market and leave at least 400,000 farmers without their previous source of income.

Many will be left with two equally unappealing options: Become another of Colombia's 5 million-plus internally displaced people or begin producing the raw material for cocaine.

Any trade deal that turns a blind eye toward the mass murder of workers and spurs cocaine production should be a nonstarter in Washington.

KELLY MILLER, WASHINGTON, D.C.

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Envision Minnesota, Smart Growth, Transit for Livable Communities and U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum all think they know best.

So what if the proposed St. Croix River Crossing and the existing Interstate 94 bridge are five miles apart ("Two St. Croix River bridge plans follow far different approaches," June 13)? How close are the bridges that span the river in Minneapolis? Distance has nothing to do with it.

It's apparent that none of the members of the above groups live near or ever cross the Stillwater bridge. A replacement for that bridge is so long overdue it's not even worth a discussion.

What does it mean that the new crossing "would have no public transit except for a bicycle loop trail"? What do they expect? A light-rail line? A linear accelerator?

There's nothing from stopping a bus from using a bridge, is there? As per past practice, excuses fly in the 11th hour.

I think I'll start my own think tank. I'll call it "Let's sit in a nice office and dictate my misguided arrogant opinion so we can grind the economy of the east metro down to nothing so I feel better about myself by telling people where they should live" consortium.

JAMES KURK, NEW RICHMOND, WIS.

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Rather than mess around with changing the name of an obscure lake in Minneapolis because its namesake was proslavery, why don't we tackle a really nationwide situation?

How about deleting "Amazing Grace" from all church hymnals?

While we are at it, let's excoriate everyone we hear singing it. It, and many other hymns, were written by John Newton, who was a slave trader and continued the practice even after he converted to Christianity.

He "converted" when his own life was in danger during a storm at sea, but continued to participate in the slave trade. He only stopped slave trading at a later age when he had a stroke. He then became an Anglican priest but continued to invest his money in the slave business.

It seems like it is time to remove this blot from the American escutcheon!

DALE VANDER LINDEN, DELANO, MINN.

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To resolve the issue, why not just declare the lake to be named after some honorable Minnesota whose last name just happened to be Calhoun?

In the last 150 years, there must have been at least one Minnesota veteran, community leader, teacher or businessperson we can choose as a replacement for old nasty John C.

RON YOUNG, SHOREVIEW

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I was returning from Nebraska and stopped at a rest stop just north of Des Moines. There was an elderly woman there cleaning the windows. By "elderly," I mean nearly 80 at least.

I was troubled by this, so I approached her and asked why she wasn't retired. She said she couldn't because her husband needed dialysis. She would work as long as the good Lord allowed her to.

I thought: This isn't right. What kind of country is this? We can't pay a little more so someone like this can rest and so her husband can have the care he needs?

This woman is someone's mother or grandmother. Is this how you want your mother or grandmother to spend the remaining days of her life?

Does this mean I'm a bleeding-heart liberal? At least I have a heart.

TERRY DINOVO, ST. PAUL

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The Star Tribune June 9 editorial ("Serious candidate, questionable plan") had a major factual error. Cutting corporate income taxes does NOT mean you have to find revenue elsewhere.

IT MEANS YOU HAVE TO CUT SPENDING!!!!!!! When will the editorial staff start dealing in reality?

You people are shopaholics with other people's money. Stop spending MY money on your dubious programs.

DOUG CLEMENS, BLOOMINGTON